They will give Ukraine weapons they need themselves, and they have time to gather intelligence for Ukraine? How are they going to have Russia designated a terrorist state when Russia has a veto? Israel and Russia have had a close relationship in the past.
European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)
Report Part Title: Russia and Israel:
Report Title: RUSSIA’S RETURN TO THE MIDDLE EAST
Report Subtitle: BUILDING SANDCASTLES?
European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) (201
103
C hapter 11
Russia and Israel: an
improbable friendship
Mark N. Katz
Israel is closely allied with the United States – the country which Russian leader
Vladimir Putin regards as Russia’s greatest adversary. Russia cooperates closely
with Iran – the country which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regards
as an existential threat to the Jewish state. Simple logic would suggest, therefore,
that Russia and Israel must be seriously at odds since each works closely with the
other’s main adversary. But this is not the case. Especially since the rise of Putin at
the turn of the century, Russia and Israel have developed close, friendly relations.
They cooperate extensively in the economic, military and intelligence spheres. In
addition to their government-to-government relationship, there is also a strong societal
connection between the two countries as a result of over a million Russian speakers
having emigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union, and of large numbers of
Russian tourists visiting Israel every year (including over 550,000 in 2016). There
are, of course, some serious differences between Russia and Israel – including over
Moscow’s relations with Tehran. Russia and Israel, however, have pursued good
relations with each other despite these differences. The Russian-Israeli relationship,
then, defies simple logic because it is the result of a more complicated equation based
on a common fear of radical Sunni Muslims, personal chemistry between Putin
and conservative Israeli leaders, and a willingness to continue bilateral cooperation
despite divergences on certain issues (especially Iran).
